Goodbye freedom
by Zerovk
Summary: Our choices may have been different if we knew what the future holds , right ? For example , I wouldn't be a captive in this damn mansion , like a bird in a cage . Or a damsel in distress . kaze kxz
1. Chapter 1

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Sprinting forward like a disjointed marionette , a certain young man ignored the wounds marring his physique , gritting his teeth with every move , muscles threatening to snap under the tiniest of pressures .

He didn't know how but he'd made it out of that hell of a dungeon . He knew he was not entirely out of danger , but soon will be . The badly injured young man chanted those words , like a mantra , relying on them to survive .

He still hadn't gone past that cursed territory belonging to him who should not be mentioned . So he was not safe , _not yet ._ A part of him repeated , quite optimistically . Another part , however , whined , pleading him to just stop walking because even _that_ hurt like hell . _Maybe he should just give up , fall to his knees and succumb to gravity_ . The pessimist seduced , feeding his mind with gloomy thoughts and scenarios , persuading him he would not succeed .. It was not possible , not with that unwilling body of his . He'd been shredded , beyond repair , his willpower crashing into smithereens .

His body didn't feel like a collection of bones crafted together in a manner so detailed and accurate , rather a diverse stack of emotions that threatened to overwhelm him at any given time .

His legs nearly gave out from all the adrenaline pumping in his veins , the fear conquering his rational sense , the exhilarating anticipation brimming in his heart .

Loosened by such conflicted sensations were his nerves

, almost fried by the promise of finally tasting freedom at long last . He nearly forgot what the term felt like .. It has been so long after all .. So damn long he often thought of giving up on ever escaping . So long he contemplated surrendering to the ever growing and overpowering darkness taking roots in his heart .

As strange as it may seem , he had no plan . he just assumed he would think of one as he limped his way out . The luxury of time was not something he had been given , generously or not .

His attempt of fleeing might die a painful death , he had no doubts , but at the same time he was nothing , if not adamant . He would get back his freedom , or die trying .

Regardless of such determination though , a voice inside him whispered a story of misfortune , a tragic ending to all of his worthwhile efforts .

No matter how much he wanted to make it far , his body had its limits , now even more so , more than ever before , and all thanks to the extensive abuse it has suffered by the hands of one brunette pureblood .

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A/N :

430 words . I guess this fic will be written in a one-scene style .

I already have the next chapter written and it's of the same range ( 423 words , I guess ) so yup .

I'm excited for this idea and may update it faster than my other fics because it only requires a single scene .

Buckle up and enjoy the ride .

And oh , Brace yourself for a lot of surprises ^.~

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	2. Chapter 2

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When the magnificent marble fountain came in view , a cynical chuckle resonated about , filling the air .

The injured lad found himself dropping to the ground shaking his head in utter resignation and absolute mockery

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All of that effort he'd exerted attempting to scamper his way out of the castle meant absolutely nothing !

Beyond the fucking fountain , the territory extended to what seemed like miles ahead . The courtyard alone could house an entire district .

There was no way he would be able to make it , even if he had been in a better condition .

He already knew that before .. but , he couldn't resist the temptation of trying to escape , despite the numerous obstacles standing in his way .

slumping against a willow tree , he let out a deep frustrated sigh , partly relieved at the blissful sensation coursing through his being as he stretched into a more comfortable position , leaning further towards the shade , deciding to busy himself until it was time to say goodbye to his farfetched dream of making it past the wrought iron gates of the castle .

The young man lifted his head upwards , admiring the channel-like gaps in between the crowns of the trees .

He'd read about that phenomenon before . Crown shyness . Such a beautiful canopy indeed .

If only this could last .

The gentle breeze .

The ambience , serenity and freedom .

A few moments later , he shifted his gaze back to the winding path flanked by trees on both sides , lest he ended up straining his neck after gazing above for a long time .

Sometimes , when he wasn't exactly sober , he found himself wondering if it would be that bad to give his captor what he wanted . If he did , the abuse would stop .

But no .

He's never going to accept that .

He'd rather die than spend the rest of his life being an object of obsession . He'd rather go back to the hell the other kids called " home " than relinquish his freedom to that bastard .

He couldn't .. He shouldn't give up . And he wouldn't .

It didn't take long before his eyelids felt heavier than lead , the never-ending strain finally taking a toll on him .

His head lolled to the right and slowly , everything went black .

He could vaguely register the crunch of footsteps on stray leaves , a familiar timbre calling his name , a pair of gentle arms wrapping around him , probably about to carry his feather-like weight back to the ominous mansion .

The victim could do nothing but submit to a world of darkness , vowing to make a repeat of his actions once he regains consciousness .

The pureblood may have the upper hand in the end , every single time , but at least , the captive knew how to make life difficult for him.

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words count : 511

updated 24 oct , 2017 .

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	3. Chapter 3

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Zero wakes up in a familiar room , much to his frustration , his own , or at least supposedly .That didn't mean he appreciated it . To him it was more of a dungeon despite , or perhaps because of , the extreme luxury it offered featuring a stately and insanely comfortable bed with rose-gold tufted headboard pointed at the top , a circle-center panel door painted in soft dutch white , like the rest of the room . Intricate gold ornaments framed the wall and the cornice , giving the chamber a royal touch that still managed to radiate an indescribably relaxing atmosphere in a sense it wasn't overly decorated as if the occupant was an ancient king .

" Oh ! Zero , you are up ." A feminine voice calls , snapping him out of his daze and , with a frown , his gaze lands on a familiar face of a brunette female with chocolate brown eyes much the same as those of the owner , if only in the overall feel . After all , her brother's had a touch of garnet to them and an undertone of barely noticeable mauve , not like Zero stared at them long or close enough to tell .

Concluding it would be better to focus on the female in front of him , Zero startled as she rushed to his side , and he just knew she would do something stupid . He was already wincing , anticipating the pain she'd inflict on him with her deadly embrace . His injuries would not appreciate Yuki's affections .

But when she did so and he registered not an ounce of pain , he found himself confused .

Did they already heal ?

Did **he** already heal them ?

Zero could do nothing but scowl at the thought . _Of course ! Why should he even be surprised ?_

 _It was the same , every single time_ !

He'd wake up at some point , having reached his limit a few hours before , losing consciousness right in the middle of his escapade . And he would find his injuries healed , much to his despair . More often than not , the devil incarnate's sister would be by his side , seemingly concerned about his well being . Nonetheless , there would always be a glint of something he couldn't decipher in her gaze whenever it landed on him .

He couldn't decide if Yuki was the only thing making his stay in the castle bearable or the exact opposite . Sometimes she would be so gentle and friendly , others it seems like she wants nothing more than to choke him to death .

 _It doesn't really matter_ , he tells himself , quite convinced that the two kurans actually resembled each other in many ways more than one . Not counting their looks , the kuran siblings had this dark and mysterious aura clinging to them like chewing gum would a strand of hair . And by that , he didn't mean their being vampires .

" You are so different you remind me of him . "

He hears yuki say , once again snapping him out of his thoughts . It's the first time she ever says something like that , something significant enough to capture his attention , to rouse his curiosity and intrigue him .

He honestly didn't know how him being different from someone could remind her of that person . Wasn't it normally the other way round ? Bearing a resemblance to someone reminds people of someone else . Right ?

Before he could ask what she meant by that , he finds himself alone in the room , with only his thoughts giving him company .

Shrugging in equal parts confusion and indifference , he pulls himself to sit upright , leaning on the heavenly pillows arranged against the headboard , and the moment he lets out a sigh , his eyelids meet and images start playing back in his head .

" _Since it's because of you that I lost a job opportunity , it's only fair you compensate me . "_

 _Those had been his words a few weeks ago , directed at a certain brown haired male he later on knew to be Kuran Kaname , his 'savior ' ._

" _this is the first time I hear of a servant ordering elites to hire him . " The conceited bastard had the audacity to mock and by the way he said it , his words felt like a sinister smirk to Zero , something that didn't sit well with him . It annoyed him so_ much _that he didn't know what to say in response . And really , it didn't seem like he'd have time to retort back even if he knew what to say . Because the next thing he knew , was Kuran bragging about his heroic act of helping a commoner_

" _Its out of kindness that I helped you , a young man lying unconscious in front of my estate . Even if I didn't , you wouldn't have made it in time to claim that job opportunity you can't stop blabbering about . Now that you mentioned it , the mansion next to mine belongs to Shirabuki and trust me , you can say I have just saved you from a fate worse than death . "_

 _Zero would have felt confused if he didn't hear from Yuki what happened before he fainted . It seemed like , for some odd reason , he passed out in front of their mighty castle and it was by chance that the two siblings were present near the gates and witnessed everything . It was only because of their kindness that he was still alive . According to their stories , an endless loop of morbid scenarios could have ensued if they left him there . That he didn't understand . It's not wolves took residence there , right ?_

In any case , Kuran was 'kind' enough to let Zero stay and work in the mansion , as a chef .

Oddly enough , they didn't exactly get along at first . They always managed to find a reason to argue . But eventually , those arguments changed into something completely different , suggestive teasing , on Kuran's part .

Before he could delve further in his memories , Zero registered something . A cold breeze kissed his cheeks and the room seemed to grow darker , the lamp on the bedside table flickered like a dying candle for a moment until it got turned off .

Zero would have screamed ' bloody murder ' if he didn't know better .

He could only watch as the curtains billowed , allowing the moonlight to sneak inside and highlight a familiar face .

He could only watch as the owner of the mansion stood in a corner , bathed in the darkness more than the light , eyes meeting his own in a silent battle .

He was waiting for Kuran to initiate the talk , like usual , a game of words the elder excelled in , a way of trying to persuade the silverette , without sounding desperate or even slightly concerned , to stop those petulant actions of his . Because they were and would always be futile .

It's for that exact reason that he staggers in bed , taken back when he registers a sting beginning to form on his left cheek . His chest constricts and throat tightens once he realizes that Kuran had actually slapped him .

Zero's body feels hot all of a sudden , a flame of anger and a spike of hurt surge through his being as he feels a familiar moisture flooding his eyes . But he wills himself not to break down . Not a single tear leave his eyes .

Instead , he moves his head around and faces kuran , glaring at him as he fists the bed sheets .

" What ? I was under the impression you enjoyed pain . I only gave you what you wanted , Zero . Why are you giving me that betrayed look now , ha ? "

The brunette leans forward and questions in a manner that managed to sound both , gentle and strict , as if he was daring the younger to object , as if he didn't expect it to anger the silverette at all , as if such thing should have appealed to Zero .

 _Oh the bastard was using that card , ha_ ?

It's true that all of those injuries have been caused by Zero himself . But that didn't meant he liked pain , much less one inflicted on him by kuran !

" Leave me alone , you animal ! " The silverette spat the words out , refusing to move away from the figure hovering so close over his .

Kuran smiles , straightens up and finally sighs before disapproving" No can do . "

Zero watches as the demon inches closer , sitting on the bed and in the blinking of an eye , he finds himself lying down on bed with the brunette straddling him . It was too fast for the younger to even process it .

Kuran reaches forward with his hand and begins caressing the younger's face as he whispers lovingly " I can spoil you like a queen or beat the living daylights out of you every day . Both extremes are within my abilities . But I can never leave you alone . So what's it going to be ? "

His voice had to be the definition of gentle , much the same as his touch . And yet Zero could only shake his head before smirking and taunting " Then you give me no choice . I'm going to have to kill you or die trying . "

A melodic chuckle leaves Kuran's mouth for a solid minute before he asks " Ever heard of a kitten threatening a lion ? "

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1508 words

updated 29 oct , 2017 .

Hope you guys enjoy this chapter ~ It's getting even more interesting and unpredictable , ha ?

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	4. Chapter 4

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" Get off me , Kuran ! " Putting on his deadliest glare , Zero exclaimed in a calm tone that he deliberately laced with a heavy load of aggression .

The bastard just smiled and instead of doing as told , he lowered himself next to the silverette and only ended up clinging to him even more , probably just to rile him up . kuran was freaking cuddling him ! Zero lost all rational thought as he squirmed about , trying to shove the dead weight of a certain pureblood away , in vain .

He was about ready to freak out when he felt the blanket covering them on its own until he realized it must have been kuran's doings .

 _Crazy pureblood abstard_ .

The silverette had started inflicting harm on himself in ways Kaname could not understand . when he asked for an explanation , Zero only gave him a question in return ' Isn't that the body and face you love so much ? You are addicted to ? What happens to your addiction when I ruin it ? Will you finally let me go ?'

The brunette had to admit Zero's logic impressed him , even though he never showed it . he thought the younger was just bluffing . but when those injuries kept recurring , Kaname was not pleased .

At first , he found himself getting shocked and angry . he got too angry he barely refrained from snapping at Zero , as much as someone that irrationally calm can ever get .

But eventually , he found himself letting it happen , thoroughly amused like never before .

You might call it sadistic of him and he wouldn't deny it . After all , wasn't that part of what he was ? What kind of a pureblood would he be if he didn't embrace a part of his nature ?

It has become a matter of tenacity , a challenge , if you will , with both of them waiting for the other to admit defeat , to raise the white flag and submit .

Zero grumbled under his breath when he realized the brunette had long gone asleep in that position . _Great ! Splendid_ !

After a few more words of sarcasm though , he forced himself to relax and face kuran .

He smelt of fragrance pearls , black orchid and juniper oil . And in case you are wondering , it was heavenly .

It was probably just because of sleeping but Zero found kuran's features so angelic . His pale skin and dark locks enhanced his beauty even more . the shape of eyebrows too . And while we are it , his eyes as well . Actually , not a single inch in Kuran had a flaw .

 _He didn't look too bad_. Zero could admit .

Yea right .. more like , he looked otherworldly , catastrophically , unbelievably handsome .

Maybe Zero could learn to tolerate him .

If he was going to be honest , Kuran has been nothing but a gentleman with him so far . He'd never treated him like he was inferior just because he was a chef . No matter how many times Zero tried to escape or hurt himself for that cause , such attempts were met with nothing but admirable patience on kuran's part . He always ended up healing those scars or fractures or whatever . And despite his obvious interest , he'd never even kissed Zero .

That didn't mean it was alright for the silverette to let his guard down and fall asleep next to that sinful beauty named Kuran Kaname .

He shouldn't !

Something inside of him throbbed in warning at their proximity but he didn't understand the significance of such reaction just yet , which was why he ignored it and stopped resisting the urge to close his eyes and sleep .

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A certain silverette was a great deal less than thrilled . Ever since he started living in that mansion , he couldn't get enough sleep .

Mostly , he would be keeping his eyes closed . Much to his chagrin though , he would be painfully aware of his surroundings .

If he wanted to estimate the time he did genuinely sleep , it wouldn't be that much .

And damn it , right when he was feeling blissful in sleep kingdom , the damn alarm had to go off !

Struggling to reach the stupid alarm clock , he blindly felt for the button , refusing to open his eyes just then , maybe that way he could go back to sleep .

Why the hell did he feel so ..suffocated though ? Like something was squeezing him .

He'd ended up wrapping himself in the blanket , as it seemed . However , something about the fabric felt different . In fact , it didn't feel like fabric at all .

Violet eyes snapped open at that , enlarging once they landed on a very familiar figure .

" What are you doing in my room , and more importantly , on my bed , Kuran ?! " The silverette exclaimed as he jolted up into a seating position , snatching the covers away , uncaring if he was being rude to wake someone up like that .

The brown haired devil didn't even seem to mind , as if he already knew what would happen and was in fact awake , explaining why he hadn't jerked up or felt the slightest bit startled .

Instead , he draped an arm over his eyes and calmly mocked " Stop being such a dramaqueen , Zero . It's not like I took your virginity . "

The silverette felt his cheeks coloring at that . " What the hell is wrong with you so early in the morning ? Modesty hasn't even brushed past you ! "

How could someone say such thing with a straight face ? Zero could not understand .

" You're just so easy to tease . It's amusing , really . " Now sitting upright , Kuran merely justified , a rather wicked smile forming on his lips soon after .

Eyes narrowing , Zero crossed his arms and half heartedly accused " You are enjoying this very much , aren't you ? "

It felt like he was throwing a tantrum , a petulant one at that , which he did not find funny . Why the hell did Kuran have such effect on him ?

The brunette gave him another teasing look before responding " You mean the whole newlyweds atmosphere ? so much you don't even know . "

Deciding it was better to send kuran away , Zero ignored that reply and changed the subject

" Don't you have work to go to ? "

Kuran blinked for a moment , as if he did really forget all about his responsibilities , before he regained control of his expression and proudly announced

" I'm going now . but I'll be back for dinner , darling . "

He quickly abandoned the bed and made his way out of the room , chuckling when he heard Zero curse him .

" Asshole ! "

Not a minute later , The silverette

found himself chuckling , only to pale once he realized what he'd just done .

What the heck is wrong with me ?

How can my feelings change so much within a span of one night ? Unless it was that way all along ..

No . no . he shook his head resolutely . just because he was kind enough to consider treating kuran in a civil manner did not mean he was attracted to him or anything .

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" We lay my love and I , beneath the weeping willow . but now alone I lie and weep beside the tree , Singing 'Oh willow waly' by the tree that weeps with me . Singing 'Oh willow waly' till my lover returns to me . " A certain silverette sang in a low melodious tone as he leisurely walked about the kitchen , getting his ingredients for the day out of the fridge or the drawers .

He was going to make spaghetti bolognese for dinner . Kuran turns into a hungry child just at the mention of it .

Zero could only chuckle at that .

He knew kuran didn't need food but he obviously enjoyed a nice meal .

 _In fact , I can also prepare some cake . it tastes heavenly with a glass of cold milk_ . Zero thought , already getting excited .

 _Let's see . I need eggs , milk , corn flour , vanilla and sugar_ .

He was in the middle of listing cake ingredients when he felt he was being watched . it happened often . He didn't have an explanation for it .

He just knew someone was near .

Spinning on his heels , he rolled his eyes when he realized it was just Yuki .

" What's taking Kuran so long ? " he questioned , slightly annoyed . he was already done preparing those club sandwiches and even placed them in a simple black lunchbox and the brunette diva was still taking his time in the shower .

" What do you mean ? He's there , about to get in the car . " Yuki pointed towards the window that provided a clear view of the courtyard and the driveway .

Zero did a double take , furrowing his eyebrows when he realized yuki was right .

" Eh ? But I made him those ! Geez ! What a waste of effort . " Zero grumbled as he grabbed the box and hurried out of the kitchen through the backdoor , praying he would catch up with Kuran .

Gladly , the brunette elder hadn't started the engine yet .

Despite knowing that kuran must have already sensed him , Zero knocked on the window and exclaimed " Kuran , you forgot this ! "

Perplexed , kaname got out of the car and stared at the lunchbox , a beautiful smile eventually forming on his face .

But it didn't take long for the teasing smirk to adorn his face again before he spoke up " Thank you , darling . "

The silverette just sighed and averted his eyes elsewhere , insisting it was not much " I was just doing my job . And don't call me that . "

Kuran nodded and made to leave , already wrapping his fingers around the door handle , when he heard the younger say

" I still don't understand why you don't hire a chauffeur or maids , for that matter . "

A pregnant silence followed such remark until Kuran answered vaguely " I have trust issues , Zero ."

The silverette shifted his weight on one foot , pushing a hand in his pocket as he heard that .

He didn't know what to say anymore .

He'd never seen someone so rich live like that . What in the world could make someone so distrustful of others ? Besides , how could he trust Zero , a chef who could so easily pepper poison on his food , enough to let him so close ? Did he even trust him ?

Before the silver haired male could dwell on that matter , however , he heard kuran speaking up again

" Have a good day , Zero . "

Taking split second to process the words directed at him , Zero landed his gaze on those burnt wood colored ones , nodding and smiling before he wished Kuran the same .

He watched , mind wandering , as the brunette got inside the car and eventually maneuvered his way towards the gates , leaving nothing but silence in his wake .

For a moment , Zero did nothing , staring ahead , standing still until a sigh escaped his lips before he turned around , only to gasp , feeling his heart jump when he saw yuki standing an inch away from him .

" What the hell , Yuki ? Don't sneak up on me like that ! " He scowled , puffing out air before storming back to the kitchen .

He was about to enter when a hand gripped his own , tightly . It did startle him , if he was going to be honest .

Seriously though .what was wrong with her ?

Frowning , he turned his head back to face the female pureblood , silently urging her to speak .

For a moment , all she did was gaze intensely at him , showing no intention of responding .

Zero was beginning to get real annoyed at that point .

He was about to part his lips to talk when she finally asked " Why do you think my brother keeps you around ? "

The way she said it made him freeze in place , goosebumps running all over his skin . Whatever she was going to say , he wasn't going to like it . He just knew .

" Even though you don't know it , you are a hunter . And he's always been obsessed over having a hunter piece in his chessboard . "

The world started spinning in his eyes for a second .

What ?

What was that supposed to mean ? Hunter ?

Chessboard ? What nonsense was she spouting ?

Lips curling to the side , Zero could feel nothing but disgust and disbelief erupting inside of him .

He couldn't believe it . He was about to voice that too when Yuki spoke up again , interrupting him

" Didn't you ask yourself why you end up flinching whenever we get close to you ? It's because of your hunter instincts flaring up trying to alert you to the fact a vampire is getting too close . "

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Zero spent the rest of the day in his room , refusing to get out of his comfort zone .

He hasn't prepared any food . not the cake , not the dinner .

How could he ?

Ever since that moment he heard Yuki say such repulsive unbelievable lies , he couldn't find it in him to do anything else other than locking himself in his room and sitting on the bed for what felt like forever , unable to deny the fact he did feel alarmed whenever either purebloods got too close .

After causing so much damage , Yuki left him alone in the kitchen , unable to comprehend what he'd just heard .

He'd never felt so disappointed and betrayed in his whole life , not even when he grew up in the orphanage , not knowing if his parents deliberately disowned him along with his twin or if they died and had no relatives to care for their kids .

A huge part of his identity had always been shrouded in mystery . Sometimes , he couldn't help the need to know about his parents and others , he couldn't care any less . It was better to leave the past in the past after all .

All of a sudden , he found himself chuckling bitterly , the sound carrying with it an unimaginable amount of sarcasm .

Kuran has trust issues ? And yet he has no problem trampling on the trust others had in him , right ?

Heaving a deep sigh , Zero fell into a lying position , heart weighing heavily in his chest .

The night has fallen , he could tell . The darkness engulfed his surrounding with so much intensity , making everything unrecognisable . Everything was pointless in the dark ..nothing mattered or held any meaning .

He felt so lost and drained of energy , left alone in the unforgiving dark . He truly wanted to leave the bed and turn the light on but he couldn't even lift an arm .

On one hand , he felt like vanishing into thin air and on the other , he wanted answers , from Kuran .

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Later :

" You did what ? " Kaname questioned in a low menacing voice that reminded yuki of the calm before the storm , and true enough , not a moment later , every single accessory shattered in its place , causing a loud crash to resonate about , and yet the female pureblood didn't seem to care . In fact , it's was almost as if she expected such reaction and took immense pleasure in witnessing it , the chaos she'd brought about .

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In his room , a certain silverette nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of objects crashing .

He jolted out of bed , breathing heavily , his hand nearly resting on his chest .

Everything was so quiet until that happened and took him off guard .

It felt like a whole dinnerware set had been shoved into the floor .

He could also feel a dark furious aura radiating in the mansion .

For some reason , he felt that Kuran had come back home . And the thought of it alone made his blood boil .

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" Get out of my sight , yuki ! " he didn't exactly shout but he wasn't whispering it either . He was livid , that much was obvious . How could she say that to Zero ?

How could she feed him such lies ?

Zero being a hunter was true , yes . but everything else was nothing but a shameful lie !

Why would she do that ? Why ?

He couldn't wrap his mind around it . but of course.. How could he have been so stupid to forget ?

She wanted to ruin him , like how she thought he did to her when in fact , everything he'd done was for her own good .

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Zero couldn't understand why he was making his way towards kuran's room , wanting to confront him about it when he should have been doing the exact opposite , getting as far as humanly possible from the said .

What was he hoping for ? Kuran denying it ? Suppose that was the case .

Why would yuki lie though ? What would she gain by doing that ? If she hated Zero staying in the mansion and wanted him out , why do it just then ?

Why didn't she do it before ? Why twist it back to paint kuran in such light ?

Why ?

Even if what she said had been the truth , why wait that long to reveal it ?

Countless questions piled up on his head in a never-ending mess , threatening to suffocate him , to lead him straight into madness if he didn't get answers for them .

When he finally reached his destination , he didn't bother to knock . There was no need for him to . he couldn't pretend everything was okay or normal . He wanted to get straight to the point .

What first greeted him when he stepped inside the room was complete darkness that reminded him of his own room , though a certain corner begged to differ , bathed in the gentle gleam of the moonlight .

That's exactly where he saw Kuran standing , by the window , his hands crossed and expression relaxed , like usual . It was almost as if no one had invaded his privacy even though he must have known otherwise .

When it was obvious the brunette was not going to talk any time any soon , Zero took it upon himself to initiate the conversation

" I'm not going to say I'm disappointed but I would be lying if I said it didn't shock me . "

Much to his frustration , he was met with silence .

He could only smile in utter despair before curbing the hurt building up inside of him and turning it into a weapon in the form of words , aiming it at Kuran

" I guess it's better this way . I didn't exactly enjoy being loved by a bloodsucker . "

Kaname tried his best to remain calm because he knew if he did comment on every word the younger tossed him , there would be no telling what could happen . And he didn't want to argue . really . he wasn't in the mood .

But the second time Zero spoke up , Kaname felt his steel composure evaporate into nothing .

" Who said I loved you , Zero ? Where did you get that idea ? " In the cold tone he got accustomed to using , Kaname questioned sardonically , knowing very well how cruel he sounded at the moment . He was not the only one being cruel though .

It was more than obvious that Zero had come here firmly believing that the brunette was guilty to a fault .

Kaname saw no point in trying to defend himself .

To say that he felt hurt and disappointed would be an understatement .

Were you really that eager to believe anything bad you hear about me , Zero ?

Won't you give me the benefit of the doubt at the very least ?

If he had been looking at the silverette , he would have seen the look of hurt wash over Zero's face .

They lapsed into a momentary silence until Zero found his voice and whispered a broken " I have no word callous enough to describe you . "

He thought he meant something to Kuran . he thought the elder liked him , if not loved him .

He'd been wrong .

To kuran , he meant nothing .. Nothing but a piece in his chessboard , as Yuki so delicately put it .

He was ready to accept that .

So what if Kuran didn't love him ? He wasn't going to breakdown or weep like an idiot .

But ..

The fact that I'm a hunter , did you have any intention of revealing it to me , Kuran ?

" Your opinion of me hardly matters . You are still not allowed to leave this mansion . " Gaze never leaving the window , Kaname spoke up calmly , his voice and face emotionless , further enraging the silverette .

" You must be crazy to think I would stay one more second here . I'd rather die ! " Zero finally snapped , unable to control his wrath much longer .

Unfortunately for him , Kuran was beginning to feel the same .

" You would ? " he questioned darkly , turning around to face the younger for the first time , waiting for the inevitable confirmation .

" Yes ! "

As soon as the words left his mouth , Zero watched the consequences of his answer unfold before his eyes .

The glint in those chocolate brown eyes shifted into something dangerous that Zero couldn't quite decipher .

" I might be able to help you with that . " it's with absolute confidence that he said those words .

the silverette had already set both of them on fire and no amount of ice could help alleviate the painful impact that would ensue .

The next thing Zero knew was Kuran vanishing from sight before he felt a gush of wind fly in his direction for a brief moment and finally , he found himself letting out a muffled gasp when his body collided with the wall all of a sudden .

He wasn't given a chance to process anything until it dawned on him way later than he would have preferred that kuran has actually bitten him .

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4070 words according to wordcounter . net and countofwords . com .

3553 according to wordcounttool . com

3576 according to easywordount . com and wordcounter . io

4077 according to the site here , fanfiction . net

I put my trust in the first two sites though .

updated 9 nov , 2017


	5. Chapter 5

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Yuki was in her room , sitting on bed , absently playing with a strand of her chocolate brown locks when an all too familiar scent wafted in the air .

Blood .

The sliding motion of fingers through a strand of hair ceased at that .

Yuki blinked once , before swiftly abandoning the bed , coffee brown eyes widening at the realisation of whose blood it was being spilled .

Zero was doing it again , harming himself .

A frown marred her delicate features at the thought .

Still , It was nothing serious . she's gotten used to it .

But the fact it might have been her fault that time in particular did little to help make her feel at ease . that and the raw hunger rumbling in her belly , the disturbing ache pulsing in her fangs , proving too difficult to ignore .

She'd tried to root herself in place , think of any possible distraction to occupy her mind with . but she couldn't , especially when something told her that Zero was in fact in kaname's room . Her senses could not be lying .

What the hell was happening ? Was Zero harming himself on purpose in front of kaname ? Or was it actually the latter causing the injury ?

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" What have you done , Kaname ? What if his body cannot take the transformation ? "

The female pureblood could not believe her eyes . The moment she realized Zero's presence came from Kaname's room , she wasted no time abandoning hers and teleporting there , only to have such petrifying sight greet her vision .

Kaname was on the floor , with Zero half lying half sitting under him while the former sank his fangs in the silverette's neck , taking greedy gulps of his blood , seemingly enthralled and not at all aware of what he was doing .

That's when she found her body moving on its own , wrenching her brother away from the already passed out Zero .

She could only wince at the flesh torn apart and the following splatter of crimson when she forcefully dislodged those fangs away from the hunter's neck . It had to be done . She kept telling herself . there was no other way , seeing as how it didn't look like her bloodlust- captive brother would listen to her even if she screamed .

She knew that telling Zero the 'truth' would have some serious repercussions , but Kaname biting him was not one of them .

It was like meaning to push someone but ending up accidentally shoving them .

Fighting her inner conflict , yuki held the silverette closer , waiting for all hell to break loose when her brother started regaining his composure .

Any moment now .

True enough , It didn't take long before the heavy fog washed away and awareness seeped back into kaname's features .

He began to stand up , confused and obviously still intoxicated by Zero's blood to be able to function properly , processing her words just then .

What have you done , Kaname ?

The words echoed in his ears , making his blood boil .

" Don't you dare say this like you care , Yuki ! " Kaname exclaimed in a hoarse tone , horrified at the realization of what he'd done . his voice wavering , lost in the onslaught of overwhelming emotions that threatened to swallow him whole .

He didn't even know what to feel anymore .

Anger at Yuki and himself ?

Guilt ?

Fear of what Zero's reaction would be once he finds out he's been turned into a vampire against his will and at such a bad timing too ? if he managed to survive , that is .

Self-condemnation because he expected better than that from himself ?

What happened to the unwavering control he'd exercised all of those years ?

He'd never felt like that before , a raging storm of thousand different emotions . It was all too much for him he felt like throwing up .

Yuki , on the other hand , only cradled Zero's head and said nothing , but the look she'd given her brother spoke volumes of the hurt she felt at his words .

He couldn't bring himself to believe her anymore though and , adding insult to injury , he tossed her a rhetorical question

" After all , isn't that what you ultimately wanted ? "

She had the audacity to look betrayed at that , and disregarding her initial intention of staying calm and letting him lash out at her because she did deserve it , she snapped

" I never imagined you'd do this ! It's true that I did reveal something I shouldn't have and lied to Zero about your plans for him , but I never intended to cause him or you serious harm . You know why I did this ! I was feeling bitter ! you destroyed me before ! I wanted you to feel the same pain I went through and only that . "

He met her rage with one of his own , yelling back

" I cannot believe you are still living in the goddamn past , yuki ! "

She chuckled in a way that made it seem more like a scoff before retorting

" Easy for you to say ! you are not the one who fell in love with a human and had to face the shock of knowing your only sibling robbed you of him and erased his memories ! "

Shaking his head at that , Kaname paced back and forth , inhaling deeply and squeezing his eyes shut in an attempt to calm down , despite knowing how futile the action was , before exclaiming in utter disbelief

" How many times do I have to tell you I did it for your own good ! Was I supposed to sit back and watch while you fell in love with a mortal , knowing very well how devastated you would be when he dies ? Or was I supposed to encourage you to turn him when we both know we are the only two figures in the vampire society representing the coexistence and peace ? Besides , It's not like I killed him ! you made me kill Zero , yuki ! You made me kill his humanity and nothing you say or do can change it ! I vowed I would never turn a human and yet I did it to the only person I never wanted such fate for . Are you aware of what you have done ? "

He was not the kind of person to blame others for his own actions or choices . But there was no denying it .

If it weren't for Yuki clinging to her vindictive streak , none of that would have happened .

Humans should never be turned into vampires .

That was something he always told himself , a fundamental rule he lived by .

And yet it was him that broke that rule , that promise , in a moment of blind anger .

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In the deepest recesses of his mind , Zero was starting to regain a morsel of his awareness , not enough to wake up , but just about enough for him to notice the smallest of details floating in a weightless space around him .

It was dark . Maybe his eyes were closed . or maybe they were not , and he was just in a dark place . he didn't know which was more of the case and quite honestly , he couldn't fathom why he should care .

He didn't even remember what his earlier thought was .

Like that , he remained , trapped somewhere dark , unknown , and cold . that's how cold felt like , right ?

His limbs have gone numb , a shudder ran up his spine and only one thing crossed his mind , warmth .

It had to be cold , for him to crave warmth , right ?

His train of thoughts was abruptly snatched away from him and all he could do was sit back and watch as it happened .

He could not keep up with that speed . His brain wasn't functioning properly , if at all.

One moment , he felt a shooting pain course through his being and the other , he felt absolutely nothing .

The pain suddenly vanished into thin air , along with his memory of it .

He then welcomed another scene .

It felt like he was stranded in a desert , parched , and on the verge of dying , and suddenly , his thirst subsided , like it has never been there .

In the blinking of an eye , the desert disappeared and instead of it , he found himself engulfed in white .

Something was soaking his clothes , overwhelming his senses .

It didn't take long before he noticed that the same thing was also dropping , causing a rhythm to resonate about .

Drip

Drop

Drip

Drop

It was a liquid of sorts . that much he could tell . However , he knew nothing else . Was it water ? Rain ? Or what ?

He had no idea .

He couldn't distinguish its color or even its scent . And really , he wasn't given much time to think of that when the scene shifted once more , forcing him on yet another whirlpool of emotions .

He could feel himself convulsing , unable to take the strain of the contradicting sensations his body was experiencing until it finally shut down.

He slumbered and slumbered , unaware of the concerned pair of wine colored orbs glued to his figure the whole time .

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1692 words

updated 14 nov , 2017


	6. Chapter 6

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A certain pureblood could do nothing but stare at the moon , falling captive to its beautiful gleam , as if it would magically solve all of his problems . It didn't . But he still found himself staring , in hopes of deriving some sort of comfort , something to sooth the storm he could feel brewing inside of him .

A part of him still insisted that it was mostly Yuki's fault and partly his . If it weren't for her , Zero wouldn't have gotten depressed , confronted him about it , and ended up provoking him . thus , the bite wouldn't have happened .

The more rational part in his brain , however , argued ' that's just a pathetic excuse.'

If Yuki hadn't been involved in the whole mess , the situation might have been slightly different . The atmosphere between him and Zero might have been tense for a different reason and the silverette might have provoked him in the same way .

Would he have bitten him if such scenario took place ? The answer was not clear .

At least , he acknowledged that while it was yuki pouring gasoline , the one setting everything on fire was him , intentional or not . So , in a sense , they both were guilty . the metaphor implied that much .

He could only sigh at that .

It was not his fault , not entirely , and yet he couldn't help but feel responsible for all of it , especially now since the heavy fog of anger clouding his judgment had dissipated . After all , he wouldn't be kaname if he didn't .

What was done was done , regardless of whose fault it was .

He wrenched his gaze away from the celestial body that often reminded him of his own position , a lone figure standing on a pedestal that nobody else could reach ,

and shifted it to the bed , slowly taking in the deep red covers before moving to settle on the person sleeping under them .

It's been a few hours already and Zero showed no sign of waking up . kaname had tried to shock him back into awareness and failed , which aggravated him even more , if that was possible.

If pure blood could not garner any response from a lesser vampire , then what would ?

Besides , Zero needed blood , his blood , and he needed it fast !

Sure , he could try the classical 'kiss of blood' but he didn't want to risk the younger choking on it . Which meant there was nothing he could do other than sitting there , keeping a watch on the silverette , and waiting for him to come to .

Kaname found himself wondering if it wouldn't be such a bad thing if Zero did not survive .

He had no doubts that the younger would prefer dying over living as a vampire , especially since yuki had been kind enough to tell him of his origin .

A vampire turned hunter would never be trusted or even accepted in either race , at least not fully - if one wanted to be optimistic about it - .

The more he thought of the future , the more Kaname started to realize just how much he'd turned Zero's life into a living hell , despite not meaning to .

A shaky breath rippled its way out of his mouth as he reclined further into the chair and draped a hand over his face , feeling at loss .

And even then , he could still see it , so vivid and taunting , pale lips turning a sinful crimson as pure blood dried on them , a glaring evidence of Kaname's earlier attempt to feed the ex human .

He couldn't find it in himself to wipe it clean . A part of him rather liked it , while the other seemed to fear touching the silverette at all .

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A distant echo grew louder and louder , turning fast into something clear enough for him to recognise , regaining consciousness .

Something must have gone terribly wrong with him , he instinctively knew but couldn't pinpoint what exactly .

He felt like someone had shoved a crimson veil in his face , slowly robbing him of oxygen and thus , life .

His stomach ached for something that was not food , he just knew it , but couldn't think of what else he might need . still , he knew hunger when he felt it . After all , he'd seen much worse days in the orphanage .

However , the raw hunger he felt at the moment was not like anything he'd experienced before or even came close to imagining . It literally felt like his insides were eating themselves out of thirst ..

Wait ?

Thirst .. ?

yes .. he did feel parched , actually .

No living being could survive without water , that he knew . But he never really understood the gravity of that fact as much as he did then .

Someone help me sate this Goddamn thirst , please .

Fool , this is no thirst for water . What you need is something else entirely .

Something much more thick and fulfilling .

If he'd been awake , Zero would have furrowed his eyebrows in utter confusion .

Who the hell was that ?

And what in the world did he mean ?

If it wasn't water he needed , then what the hell was it ?

He couldn't think of any other liquid vital for life , his life .

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Kaname had been prepared for a pair of violent red orbs to greet his vision when Zero awoke , a gruesome bite , anything brutal enough to indicate a level D's uncontrollable hunger for blood . He certainly was not prepared to hear a pained whimper announce Zero's awakening , nor did he expect to gaze at the teen's violet eyes touched with a faint tint of garnet .

The pureblood had actually started to think the silverette was not going to wake up at all . Which was why it took him a whole minute to register the meaning of the sound he'd just heard and the sight he'd just witnessed .

" Zero ?! " Kaname abandoned the chair in the speed of light , leaning forward to inspect the younger and make sure his eyes were not playing tricks on him .

His heart constricted when he heard Zero gasp , taking in a mouthful of oxygen , as though he'd been drowning and finally managed to make it to the surface .

He didn't seem to recognize anything , Kaname could tell and instantly realized the younger's vampire side was one to awaken first .

But that .. he'd never seen such an expression on a level D before . It wasn't the ruthless bloodthirsty creature he imagined to see . It resembled a dying child more .

Zero's features have been that of a wounded animal , not a dangerous predator . Even his fangs barely elongated .

His face was scrunched up in pain as he reached forward , probably asking for help , or at least attempting to . He didn't seem to have enough power to lift an arm though .

Kaname registered a certain moisture brimming about his eyes and wasted no time closing them in an attempt to control his wild emotions .

with much difficulty , he swallowed the lump forming in his throat and inched closer to the bed , eventually letting his weight fall on it , as graceful as he'd always been but as broken as he'd never felt before .

He got under the covers and leant on the headboard before pulling the younger to lean on him , as gentle as rationally possible .

Zero should have no problem taking his blood in that position , held in his arms and having to exert little to no effort to reach his neck .

Kaname let his eyelashes meet as he anticipated the bite , unconsciously drawing the younger closer to him , moving a hand to rest on the silver locks in what could only be described as encouragement .

At first , Zero did nothing but let out a shaky breath , inhaling the potent nectar dancing in those veins , listening to the gentle pulse filling his senses , until he found himself compelled to part his lips and crane his head , eventually trapping a good chunk of flesh between his enlarging canines .

It took him a while to tear into the skin , in his disoriented state , the thing that made Kaname's patience run thin . But he kept telling himself the silverette didn't have enough power to feed properly yet . But that was going to change very soon .

True enough , a few minutes later witnessed a feeding rhythm just as desperate but -at least- showing signs of life .

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Kaname watched as the tablets dissolved and mixed with wine , the glass resting in his right hand as he confirmed something . He was doing it more to distract himself than to compensate for the loss of blood .

He needed to occupy himself with a physical action or else he would really end up imprisoned by his own thoughts .

He'd bitten Zero ?

He still had troubles believing it .

He'd just turned a hunter , no less !

The pureblood could easily visualize a collection of repercussions branching from the mother tree , extending to encompass a wide range of connections and spiderwebs .

It would have been different if he could let the boy starve and descend to the inevitable madness without anyone knowing a thing about it . But he couldn't . And instead of obliterating the root of the problem , he ended up magnifying it by giving him his sacred blood .

If known , many would disapprove , strongly , and possibly voice it too . Others would see it as an invitation to do the same and shatter the fragile semblance of peace struggling to keep war at bay . Not that any ounce of peace would remain intact after such news reaches the ears of the hunters' association .

A recipe for disaster indeed . Kaname thought dryly . He could have scoffed , if he didn't feel like shit , vulnerably so.

His expression hardened , however , when Yuki stepped inside the grand living room , saying nothing despite wanting to . After all , she wouldn't seek him out unless she wanted to talk .

He'd sensed her approaching way earlier but hoped she wouldn't be bold enough to show him her face just then .

Lady luck didn't seem fond of him , eh .

Well , that aside , if his sister wasn't going to talk , then he would .

" You must be feeling elated now . "

It was kind of childish to say but he knew that anything else would have been as well , at the moment . After all , there wasn't much variety to choose from .

'Get out of my sight' would have been too immature . And of course , he wasn't just about to ask if she was okay . her wellbeing wasn't his priority at the moment , rather a certain silverette's .

Yuki , to her credit , did not lose an ounce of her grace , only settling for a deep breath before answering " I rather enjoyed watching your rage unfold when I told you about what I have done , I admit , but you biting Zero is not something I'm happy about . "

She stood a few steps away from him , obviously not having any intention of taking a seat close to his . Or perhaps , she wasn't that relaxed to do so . she couldn't just sit down and act as if they were merely talking about the weather , like nothing had happened .

Far from pleased with her and yet knowing an honest response when he heard one , kaname could only say " that makes two of us " , returning her honesty .

Still not facing her , he pursed his lips and set the glass down before deciding it was time to make a certain point clear .

" the human you fell in love with , I didn't harm a strand of his hair . I merely erased you from his memories and by doing so , I ended up hurting you , I admit . Which was inevitable in both scenarios , but you just chose to turn a blind eye to that . "

Not a word escaped yuki's lips in response to that . She couldn't deny or protest , even if she wanted to . She already knew where the conversation was going and did nothing to interrupt her brother . He deserved at least that .

His eyes looked distant as he spoke up once more , as if he was so lost in a world she couldn't see .

" In comparison to what I have done , your deeds had a colossal impact on not only me but also Zero's whole life . And I'm not talking about the bite , I know I only have myself to blame for that , to a certain extent . "

Yuki flinched , knowing the sting of blame was coming next , one she deserved . Kaname may have been guilty of biting Zero , but take the bite away and go back in time , only one person was to blame for hurting the silver haired male , and that was her .

As if agreeing to her thoughts and wanting to emphasize them even more , the elder pureblood listed " You ruined his trust in me , for one , and I can only imagine how traumatic it was for him to know of his being a hunter in such a cruel abrupt manner . "

Yuki knew that he was going to tell Zero the truth sooner or later , it was only a matter of time . Unlike her , Kaname had in mind a proper way to reveal that particular piece of information . Hell , he was even willing to support the hunter if he so wished to pursue hunting . In fact , he was going to introduce him to a certain legendary hunter so he could start training under his guidance . Kaname had no intention of exploiting Zero's ignorance or manipulating him to take his side . Unfortunately , the silverette must be thinking the exact opposite now , and all because of Yuki .

And why ?

Oh right .. her petty revenge .

Speaking of which .. Kaname's expression turned into that of disbelief as he realized one more stark contrast between them .

His voice remained calm but it turned remarkably darker and spoke volumes of how betrayed he felt as he spoke " Something else , when I erased your human's memories , I had one thing in mind , and that was protecting you . However , you did it all out of revenge . Do you see the difference ? "

At that point , Yuki was about ready to weep in shame . She could do nothing but stand still , lowering her gaze , wishing she could just evaporate into thin air . What she'd done was unbelievably disgusting , but in the clutches of holding a grudge , she couldn't see it that way . she couldn't see anything past the overwhelming urge to make her brother feel the same .

Giving his sole attention to the glass of wine placed on the table , Kaname couldn't help but say " The next time you want to get a rise out of me , think of whose life you will be affecting . though I dearly hope there would be no next time . "

A warning .

A threat .

An advice .

It didn't matter which was more of the case , what did was the obvious sarcasm lacing his tone , not that the words weren't mocking enough . Of course that wasn't his only intention . he'd wanted to make her feel even more guilty , to smack some sense into her . In a way , it reminded him of scolding a child so they won't misbehave again , if what she'd done could even be described as misbehaving .

Deeming the conversation over , he was about to reach for the glass when she appeared in front of him , on her knees , and gazed at his eyes intently as if she was waiting for him to behead her .

If the eyes could cry out loud , their gaze would have shattered the deafening silence reigning the atmosphere at that moment .

" Do you wish to kill me ? "

The question barely left her mouth before Kaname frowned , deeply , not exactly expecting such question . Sure , he knew she might be feeling insecure , thinking something along the lines of ' onii-sama must hate me now '

But that ..

Well ..

Yuki had always been a walking talking contradiction . He meant the whole world to her most of the time . But give her a reason and she'd burn your entire world to ashes without batting an eyelash . Apparently , he wasn't an exception . If that wasn't a bad sign , he didn't know what was . There was no telling what other chaos she was capable of bringing about .

And yet , he couldn't find it in himself to wish her harm .

Resisting the urge to sigh , he gave her a weak smile before denying

" I don't have the power to . "

He meant it in a figurative sense , she knew and couldn't feel more grateful .

She was never going to violate his trust again , ever .

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Kaname had been sitting alone in the living room when he sensed it , a furious aura accompanied with a faint scent of blood .

Well , that was fast .

He let out a sigh that could only be described as ' resigned ' before standing up and leaving , heading for his room .

He decided against teleporting . It wasn't that much of a distance after all . Besides , the situation wasn't that urgent , seeing as how the worst had already happened , or so he hoped .

He took a moment to calm himself and rid his face of any emotion , effortlessly stitching it back to the icy and stoic mask he took pride in maintaining .

He did feel guilt eat him alive , but that wasn't something he intended to show .

Mentally readying himself for the impending chaos , he lifted his chin up high , expression betraying nothing as he approached his room , finally reaching it a few minutes later , twisting the door handle and stepping inside .

An expected rejection greeted him as soon as he entered.

" Your face is the last thing I want to see now Kuran . " As caustic as it was of a statement , Zero's voice leaned more towards a fragile whisper . But even then , it didn't lose an ounce of the emotional intensity he so wanted to convey .

I'm aware of that . Kaname inwardly commented , a part of him snarling at the younger's blatant irreverence . He willed himself to calm down though . It would not bode well for any of them if he allowed the silverette to provoke him again , which he still found astonishing . He was a man of steel tolerance when it came to those issues . How Zero managed to cut through the countless layers of patience he had was beyond him . It unsettled the pureblood , very much , if he was going to be honest .

It's not the time to think of that .

Deciding it was better to focus on the situation at hand lest he ended up awakening his inner demons once more in such a short span of time , Kaname chose to analyze the ex human's remark .

He'd been prepared to hear such words but that didn't make it hurt any less. For God's sake , he just wanted to talk .

His eyes moved fast , taking in the whole picture , the room , bathed in darkness , the blood stained letter opener lying on the ground , the figure slumped against the wall .

It didn't take a genius to know what had happened .

Zero woke up a few minutes ago , slowly recalling their argument and what it led to . That's when he started to panic and wanted to confirm whether he was dreaming or not . He must have felt lucky to find the letter opener next to him on the nightstand , wasting no time to drag it over his arm , freezing in shock when he saw it heal in no time . He jolted out of bed in denial and disbelief , his grip on the sharp object loosening until it fell with a clatter on the marble tiles , Zero following it , face lowered and full of despair .

" Listen to me , Zero. "

It was not an order , but not a plea either , something in between . unfortunately , it seemed to have angered the younger even more .

" No ! "

For the first time , the silverette snatched his own hand away from his hair and lifted his head up to glare at the elder , raising his voice and baring his teeth .

Kaname felt his eyebrow twitch as he curbed his own rage and calmly repeated " Liste- "

" I don't fucking want to listen to your lies or see your face ! you and yuki make such a great team by the way . She dealt my emotions a punch in the gut and you .. there couldn't possibly be anything worse than what you have done ! " The younger interrupted , rising up in the speed of light , hands flailing around , as if he could make his emotions tangible by doing so . he wanted the elder to see a physical proof of whatever madness he felt at that moment .

Trying his best to pacify himself , Kaname inhaled as much air as he could before saying the same thing as he proceeded to approach the younger .

" Listen to me. "

Not being able to comprehend how the pureblood had the audacity to inch closer , Zero snapped , hating the fact he couldn't keep a distance " GET THE FUCK AWAY ! "

" I WON'T ! "

Violet eyes widened at that . Zero felt himself stiffening at the shout and the fact his face was now framed by a familiar pair of gentle but unyielding hands . He would forever deny the truth he wanted that touch .

Breathing had never echoed so loud before .

" I'm horrified just as much as you are , if not more . "

Came the whisper as Kaname brought their foreheads together .

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4027 words

updated 25 nov , 2017


	7. Chapter 7

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It was moments later that Kuran slowly dropped his hands from Zero's face to his shoulders and finally reaching his elbows , almost touching them .

He was not gripping the hunter's arm but he wasn't pulling away from the silverette's personal space either . It's almost as if he wanted to say ' I'm not forcing you to stay but I want you to know I don't want to let go . '

" What I'm going to say you may not believe . But please hear me out , nonetheless . I think I deserve that much . " Kuran spoke up after taking a deep breath , gaze wandering from Zero's clothes to his scrutinizing eyes , a solid proof of the pureblood's honesty .

The silverette did not say anything . Instead , he held himself back and averted his gaze elsewhere , otherwise doing nothing to discourage Kuran from speaking and defending himself .

Taking that as a good sign , Kaname took a step backwards and chose to get straight to the point .

" You being a hunter is the only truth you've heard from Yuki . I was going to tell you .. But those sort of things cannot be said out of the blue . "

The lesser vampire's expression showed nothing , it remained unchanged , making it a little bit difficult to read his feelings . And kaname would be lying if he said he didn't expect that . Of course Zero was not going to believe him right away and even if he did , he wouldn't show it . He must be feeling very confused now .

Unfortunately , the night was still young and they had lots to talk about , regardless of the hunter's desire .

Despite not wanting to add insult to injury , kaname knew he had to inform the younger of the irreversible consequences of getting bitten by a pureblood , even though he'd once done that before , when Zero first heard about his masters being vampires and started asking questions ( which happened after an initial phase of denial and going on about how vampires do not exist .)

" Zero , thanks to my blood , you're no longer in danger of falling . You are a level C vampire . I won't lie to you , especially because you already know , level C is not the highest rank but it's also not the lowest . I trust you know what that means , the kind of treatment to expect . there's a major complication though and that's you being a hunter . Once your existence as a vampire-turned hunter becomes known , let's just say things would get a little bit too ugly . "

At that point , Zero couldn't help but scoff .

" It would have been better if you let me fall , Kuran . Actually , I would have much preferred it if you killed me right away . If you did , you wouldn't have worried about people finding out and I wouldn't have had to deal with being a goddamn bloodsucker . " the silverette voiced out his displeasure , a hint of mockery seeping in his tone , as well as that of bitter resignation .

Kaname , on the other hand , only sighed as he heard those words , wasting no time to disapprove in a low but very sincere tone .

" Zero , I could never kill you ! "

The whole time , Zero had been dissatisfied but calm , until he head that .

One silver eyebrow shot up in response to such words .

what ? what did the bastard just say ?

" Why not ? You had no problem helping me die not so long ago ! " The silver haired male exclaimed , feeling his anger resurface and pour in his eyes .

Kaname felt his eyes narrow before widening almost instantly as he comprehended the younger's words . It only took him a split second to yell back " I wasn't thinking straight ! You provoked and hurt me ! You said you'd rather die than stay with me ! Can you imagine how cruel it was of you to say that , how painful it was for me ? Do you know what's even more cruel ? I never asked for it ! I didn't want to feel this way for anyone ! Even now , just the idea of you not believing or trusting me makes a mess of my emotions . And I can't believe I'm confessing this .. "

After his unlikely outburst , the pureblood let out a deep frustrated sigh before rubbing his hand all over his face and settling heavily on the bed , gripping the edge of it and gazing at the letter opener lying on the floor .

Silence fell on the room , neither knowing how to break it or maybe even not wanting to until Zero found himself imitating the brunette and settling on bed before speaking " I don't know if your words earlier were true or not . I can't decide if I believe you or not .. I just don't know . But I do know one thing .. Whether it's true or not , what good is it for now ? "

His words had a certain transparency to them , one that Kaname couldn't help but agree with .

" How is your regret going to help me ? " he didn't say it in a harsh tone , on the contrary , it came out a defeated whisper .

Kaname did not answer . he couldn't . How would his remorse help , indeed ? ..

It wasn't going to fix anything , he knew . but at least he wanted the younger to know he hadn't meant to turn his life upside down .

" I'm not thrilled at the fact I'm a vampire now but I also acknowledge that what's done cannot be undone .." the silverette trailed off , inwardly finishing the phrase .

And no amount of regret on your part or discontent on mine can change it.

It would be pointless to submit and have a mental breakdown .

He wasn't just about to whine because he knew what would ensue .

Now what ?

Even if he did snap , yell , and break objects , the fact remained he had already been turned into a vampire .

Other than allowing him to vent , breaking down would do nothing .

Maybe it was better to accept it .. Even though a part of him snarled in protest , unable to make peace with the idea of becoming what he instinctively was ought to hunt .

He couldn't fully accept it but he could try , could pretend , could lie to himself , just to make life easier .

Well , it wouldn't do him good if he kept thinking of that ..

Deciding he'd rather focus on anything else , he found himself recalling kuran's words and he couldn't help but ask " you said there's only one truth I heard from yuki , right ? Why did she lie ? "

There was a good chance that kuran was the one lying , wanting to conceal his rotten motives to gain Zero's trust .

But it was also possible he was saying the truth .

Well , there was only one way to find out . Zero told himself as he waited for the answer , carefully observing Kuran's expression , especially his eyes .

The pureblood inhaled deeply , something about the way he did it told Zero the whole thing was far more complicated than expected .

True enough , When Kuran spoke up , his words confirmed it .

" that's a long story , Zero . Yuki was doing it to get back at me for something I did in the past .. It was for her own good .. But well , she didn't view it that way and wanted to return the favour . "

So yuki did it to provoke kuran ? That could mean two things ..

Zero was confused for a moment until the fog in his head cleared and realization dawned on him .

" I don't understand … Yuki got back at you by lying to me ? Are you saying my presence matters that much ? Am I significant enough to you that Yuki deemed me a weak spot ? Ah ..pardon me , of course I am significant .. I'm the damn hunter piece in your little chessboard , right ? "

The hell was happening to him , Zero did not know ! Why did it affect him that badly ? For god's sake ! Why did he have to keep on bringing that topic up , always finding a way to mention it .

Why did he have to care about what label he had in Kuran's eyes ?!

the hunter's bitter sarcasm left a thick silence stretching in its wake .

Kaname parted his lips , feeling speechless for a second .

What the hell was wrong with Zero ?

Did he really want a fight ?

" In different circumstances , I might think your insecure side is rather cute . But now i really am not in the mood to humor that side of yours . I can't exactly force you to believe me so let's do this , at least trust your own kind . Tomorrow , I'm going to introduce you to someone . Go to sleep . "

Zero was given no time to protest or even respond to that .

Weirdly enough , he found himself doing as told , crawling under the covers and drifting to sleep right away .

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The next time Zero opened his eyes , he was met with white , something he later on recognised to be the ceiling .

For a couple of minutes he did nothing but blink , once , twice , many times in fact .

Even though he was lying under layers and layers of blankets , he still felt awfully cold .

It didn't stop there ..

He felt cold , lost ,and empty . And that's how he realized it really wasn't a bad dream .

Everything he wished hadn't happened had in fact taken place , from what yuki has told him to that time he confronted Kaname about it and the resulting bite ..

" This truly sucks.. Fuck my life .." He whispered to thin air , wanting to sleep for eternity . Anything would be better than the mess that had become of his life , especially because he knew from then onwards , everything would be going downhill for him ..

" I wish I died in the fire .. " he felt his eyes moisten as he said that , recalling his childhood , the sight of the orphanage getting devoured by angry flames , how much he'd screamed and wailed over his siblings .

It was one of those moments he couldn't help but drown to the very bottom of darkness and grief .

They may have survived the fire but he knew that was some wishful thinking on his part .

If his memory served him right , life has never exactly been kind to him .

And knowing that , it was not difficult to expect the worst .

He really had no one , right . .. ?

He was alone in a world he feared .. He didn't know what the future held , just like anyone else ..

He really could take no more .. He didn't have the energy to face such fate .. Oh how he wished for death to embrace him .. He knew , however , that such thing wasn't going to be easy anymore ..

He'd become a vampire .. Besides , he had a feeling Kuran would not allow him to die , much less starve .

So , in short , he was stuck in that wretched life ..

A scornful smile marred his features at the thought , accompanied with an equally scornful raise of eyebrows .

Figuring there's no escaping it , he took a deep breath , turned the covers away , and finally abandoned the bed , before making his way towards the windows and stopping there , fingers slowly reaching for the curtains , pulling the fabric just a little bit and quickly flinching at the first streak of sunlight hitting his vision .

It was a natural reaction , considering how much his room had been submerged in complete darkness . But it wasn't as simple as that , he knew.

His eyes must have become sensitive to light .. A lot has changed , indeed ..

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Kaname was busy buttoning his shirt when he sensed a familiar presence approach his room , making him unconsciously narrow his eyes , anticipating yet another argument .

True enough , a few moments later witnessed Zero , still in his homewear , swaying the door open and stepping inside , lilac eyes darting all over the room , scanning it for his target .

His search process didn't last for long as he found kuran standing in front of the mirror , done with the buttons of his shirt .

The pureblood remained calm , like usual , and said nothing . Which was why Zero found himself saying " You forced me to sleep yesterday . "

It may have been a lame start but truthfully , he didn't know what else to say , at least at that moment .

The pureblood merely gave him a nod before justifying " Yes . If I didn't , you wouldn't have gotten any sleep . "

Zero watched as the brunette abandoned the spot in front of the mirror and went to the magnificent wardrobe that occupied an entire wall before choosing a deep grey coat and wearing it .

The hunter wrinkled his mouth at that before speaking up once more , making it sound as if he was impressed " Of course , you are a pureblood after all . Those of lower ranks cannot defy you , right ? "

In all honesty , Zero did not know why he was saying that or why he bothered to talk to the elder when he should be snapping at him and aiming for his throat .

He only knew one thing .. He was not in a good mood and he wanted to take it out on someone .

He hadn't even realized when he ended up crossing his arms and tapping his foot against the marble tiles .

A chuckle drew his attention though .

" I'm not just a pureblood , Zero . I'm your maker , your master . You cannot defy me even if you tried . "

What ?

The silverette stilled at that .

He didn't understand the full meaning of what Kuran had just revealed but he had a vague idea .. And he didn't like it , at all . He voiced it too.

" You take pride in that ? "

Overtaken with disbelief , he questioned in a whisper , loathing his life even more in that particular moment .

Kaname , on the other hand , could only sigh before rubbing his forehead and evading the question .

" Instead of wasting your time trying to argue with me , how about you go and eat something ? Then get dressed . we have somewhere to go to . "

It was not a command , at least not one overflowing with manipulative powers . Zero couldn't decide if he was thrilled at that or not .

" If you think I can eat and behave as if nothing has happened , then you are horribly mistaken . "

The pureblood just nodded in response and uttered " okay " as if he wanted to say ' be my guest . I'm not going to argue over that . '

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Half an hour later and they were both seated in the car , with Kaname driving to God knows where .

The ride consisted of predictable but far from comfortable silence .

Despite feeling extremely curious over who they were going to meet , Zero kept his mouth shut . He was not in the mood to talk to the brunette . whenever they spoke to each other as of late , they ended up yelling , if not vocally then by intense eye-contact .

It's then that his mind wandered back to that moment when got back to his room , changed , and was about to walk down the hallway , heading towards the front door when he met Yuki .

It was a moment tense in the same intensity it was awkward .

The female pureblood told him she felt ashamed and guilty for lying to him about her brother's intentions . Even if she did tell a truth , it wasn't her place to say it . And she deeply regretted the damage her words had caused .

Zero did not pat her head and say he forgave her but he didn't snap at her either .

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Time dragged by slowly until they reached their destination , a random apartment building , Zero's mind supplied .

They were both waiting for someone to answer the door .

It didn't take long before the door slid open , revealing a sight that had Zero staring in shock .

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3008 words

Updated 26 dec , 2017 . though it should have been 25 but well , for some reason , the doc file upload didn't work . which was really frustrating .

In any case , it took me three days to write this . i started working on it 23 dec . the only thing i had planned beforehand was kaname's first lines and the end of the chapter .

I hope you enjoy this . thank you for reading .

I don't think I'll be updating soon because I don't have much planned for this story . I just know the start of the next chapter . other than that , i dunno where this is going .

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	8. Chapter 8

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Time seemed to stop for a certain silverette . he couldn't even breathe or move a muscle . His very being froze in shock at the sight before him .

Lilac eyes travelled in a quick head to toe scan of the person who'd just answered the door .

Kaname stood there with his eyes widened , unable to comprehend the scene . He watched as Zero stepped inside and reached forward , his hand touching the shocked girl's face , as if he wanted to make sure he wasn't dreaming .

" Maria ? " the hunter whispered , voice trembling in a blend of different emotions , the most prominent of which being disbelief . it seemed like he was ready to break down any time any soon . The same could also be said for the silver haired female standing in front of him . At first , she looked like she'd seen a ghost but eventually , her features softened and spoke of so many overwhelming emotions .

Kaname did not understand . sure the girl looked like a carbon copy of zero . but if she was his twin , why would she be a human ?

He wasn't given much time to think of that , however , when the girl cried out and threw herself on Zero , hugging him tight , never to let go . the silver haired male reciprocated almost immediately , calling her name over and over again in what could only be immense relief . His eyes started watering as he held her tighter , brushing a hand on her silky locks every so delicately . Their weeps filled the air like a symphony that nobody could stop or control .

They probably would have remained like that were it not for a certain voice drawing their attention .

" what's going on here ? " A man whose age Zero couldn't quite guess asked . He had ash blonde hair styled in a ponytail , was wearing glasses and holding a few bags in one hand .

It seemed like he was living there as well , in the same apartment .

When Zero turned around to face him , the man widened his eyes at the striking resemblance the two silver haired teens shared .

Noticing the odd atmosphere , Kaname cleared his throat and suggested they take the inevitable interrogation inside .

It didn't take long before they were all seated in the living room , exchanging introductions .

Zero and Maria occupied one couch identical to that which the blonde man sat on , whereas Kaname settled on one of the chairs . Even the seat arrangement screamed of his status . he never shared . he dominated .

That aside , Kaname did know that cross has adopted a girl but that was it . He never saw her and never felt inclined to . She was a mere human after all .

Zero , on the other hand , learned that the blonde man was called Kaien cross , a legendary hunter -even though he didn't seem like one- . Well , whatever .. It didn't matter . The silverette would be eternally grateful to cross for taking care of Maria . she may not be his sister , but he'd always thought of her as such .

He couldn't help the smile that took over his face when he glanced at her figure . She looked the same as five years ago but her features had indeed matured . He gave a fond smile and absently rubbed his hand over his cup , feeling the warmth of it spreading to his heart . Life seemed so much more beautiful all of a sudden . who could blame him ?! His family was still alive , safe and sound !

" Does ichiru live here too ? "

the moment Zero asked that , Maria's expression turned uneasy , something he didn't want to think much of .

A seed of suspicion was starting to grow inside of his head but he crushed it with little to no effort , or so he believed .

Maria seemed to have turned white and stiff for a solid minute before she was able to blink , slow and nervous . After which she took in a quivering breath and tried to compose herself .

" Kuran-san , it was a pleasure meeting you . Father , if you'll excuse us . " the girl spoke up in a calm tone but her eyes told a different story . Still , Zero didn't want to think of the worst . he followed her to the kitchen wordlessly , narrowing his eyes when she began shaking her head and shedding tears .

" The only reason I'm alive now is because ichiru sacrificed himself for me . "

Her voice barely came out , as if she had a cold . Maybe she really did have a cold .. It wouldn't be that much of a surprise .. After all , she didn't exactly have the best of health , neither did ichiru . Zero felt like dying at that moment . Back then , in the orphanage , people used to think that Maria was their sister because of her looks and attachment to them .. Ichiru and Maria have always been so close , but Zero was kind of distant , rarely showing how much he cared about them , something he deeply regretted later on .

And at that very moment , he felt the pain of regret festering , aggravated by what he'd just heard .

He staggered , almost losing his balance , eliciting a concerned gasp from her as she tried to help , only to find him raising a hand to stop her short . he slumped against the wall and whispered in sheer agony " .. How ? "

Maria could only sniff and follow him to the floor , sitting by his side , before explaining " Ichiru and I were taking a nap that day .. I jolted awake to the charred smell of the orphanage filling my lungs and the screams of Ayumi-san filling my ears . When I rushed out of my room , I saw ichiru and was about to talk but he beat me to it and warned me to watch out before shoving me away , taking the full brunt of the burning logs . For me , everything froze for a moment until realization dawned on me .. I began screaming and wailing but nobody heard .. I thought you were gone too .. It was suffocating in more ways than one .. I don't exactly remember how but I managed to crawl my way out of that tragedy and according to Father Kaien , I lost consciousness as soon as I escaped . "

By the time she finished narrating , tears had already dried on Zero's face that has become devoid of emotions .

his head was a jumbled mess but he still managed to find his voice and spoke up " Nobody knew you were alive .. They told me no one survived . "

" You know how the orphanage was far from town .. By the time people noticed the fire , the damage was already done . And when they tried to help , some feared losing their lives .. Only two men were brave enough to try but they couldn't see me .. I couldn't even ask for help . Eventually , people left , save for Kaien-san . He stayed , feeling saddened and disappointed in himself for not being able to do anything .. Just as he made to leave , however , he heard movement from behind , mine … when I regained consciousness , he offered to adopt me and I agreed , thinking the family I had was no more . "

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In the living room , Cross seemed a little bit too relieved to be left alone with the pureblood at long last .

He placed his cup down and spoke up seriously " I'm listening , Kaname . "

Despite the obvious ordeal , the pureblood seemed to know where to start .

" Zero is my personal chef . he's been for a while . He didn't know of his being a hunter . I don't know how that's possible .. he never spoke of his childhood and reacting to that , I never asked . Yuki told him the truth before I could . As a result , he ended up provoking me and I lost control . "

Kaname barely refrained from cringing as he said that . Listening to himself narrating what had transpired made everything sound less complicated and more absurd . It made him sound even more guilty . It's easy to say he could have kept his beast on a leash , could have stopped himself . But truth was he couldn't . He'd been forced to live that kind of situation and he knew how much words were just that .. Words .

People could say they'd never give in to temptation and still end up doing just that in certain circumstances .

Being trapped in a situation indeed differs . No matter how much you imagine it , the outcome could be entirely different when you truly experience something .

Having been briefed on what had happened , Kaien could only take in a deep breath . He already knew that kaname would never turn a human , at least not intentionally . And he'd never bothered to think of that minor possibility , because with Kaname , there was no such thing as unintentional or out of control .

Kaname would never turn a human , Kaien knew it to be a fact , like any scientific fact out there .

The term ' accidentally ' didn't exist when the brunette pureblood was concerned . it just didn't . so how the hell did he end up biting that Kiryuu boy ? What authority did the young hunter have to affect kaname that much ?

" For you to bring him here , what do you expect of me ? To train or hide him ? " Kaien spoke up after letting out a defeated sigh , making a point to silently convey that such conversation was far from over . he was just focusing on the actual dilemma for the time being .

Kaname sent him a knowing look at that , the thing that made the hunter add " or both ? "

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When kaname arrived back home , alone ( thinking that Zero would most definitely prefer to spend the night with his long lost sister ) , he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong , terribly so .

He just couldn't put his fingers on what exactly until he drove past the gates and sensed it . The charms his parents had surrounded the mansion with to protect them felt different . It was as if someone tampered with them . those charms were there for a reason , and only one person would benefit from breaking them .

That couldn't be a good thing .

Starting to panic , Kaname rushed out of the car without even caring to park it . He wasted no time teleporting inside , instantly growing alarmed when he detected yuki's presence in the basement .

He wouldn't have found it unsettling if her aura didn't reek of fear .

This couldn't be happening… This couldn't be happening . he kept repeating those words inwardly , hoping his worst nightmare wasn't waiting for him .

He began walking down the hallway and twisting a certain door open before descending a seemingly never ending staircase , all the while buying time for himself to think of a plan in case his fears were confirmed .

The more he approached Yuki's aura , the more frightened she seemed to get , as if she didn't want him to come any closer . that was enough of a confirmation .

Surrendering to whatever was going to ensue , Kaname stood in front of a tall teak wood double door , staring at the ornaments carved there with so much reverence .

Before he knew it , his hand was already reaching forward and pushing open the said door , russet eyes widening when he stepped inside and saw the door at the far end of the room left ajar , leading to the chamber where the ancestor slumbered .

As if triggered by that , he dashed through the door and came face to face with the nightmare holding yuki hostage .

" Tsk Tsk , Kaname . you are late by about 30 minutes . I was beginning to think you wouldn't grace us with your appearance , nephew . " A youthful-looking man with dark brown hair and mismatched eyes mocked , never loosening his grip on the female pureblood .

Kaname was , in one word , enraged . And that feeling only ever amplified when he saw yuki choking and struggling to break free .

Before he could even bark at the bastard to let her go , his uncle , Rido Kuran , spoke up once more .

" If you want me to let her go , be my sacrifice. "

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2280 words  
updated 2 jan , 2018 .

omg my first 2018 update .

Hilariously enough , in the last A/N I mentioned i had no idea how this will progress but now i kinda do . hence the equally kinda fast update .

Hope you guys enjoy this . I would like to hear your thoughts so far .

Apologize for any typos or missing words .

Xoxo zerovk

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	9. Chapter 9

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Kaien Cross had not expected his day to escalate that way . He'd gone out to get some ingredients and came back to find an odd pair waiting by his door , a young hunter he'd never seen before standing beside Kuran Kaname . And as if that wasn't bizarre enough , the hunter gave an aura of an ex-human and looked like Maria , his adoptive daughter .

The more he analyzed the situation , the more confused he got . Kaname turned a hunter of all things ? And now he wanted to hide him ? Not just that , he wanted Kaien to train him ?

He could only sigh at that . The fact Zero had just recently learned of his origin didn't help the situation in the slightest bit . Did he know he belonged to the prestigious Kiryuu family , The only bloodline known for their unique features , gifted with pale hair color and mesmerising violet eyes ? Probably not .

It's then that he stopped pacing around , taking a moment to digest the information overload forced into his brain in a span of an hour or so .

Call it a gut feeling but , For some reason , he felt that was just the beginning . Things were going to get even more complicated , possibly resulting in a tragedy that no one could prevent .

Kaien took in a deep breath , a myriad of worries making it to the surface of his thoughts as he began walking towards the kitchen , preparing himself for a long talk with the little new addition to his family .. Does that make Zero his adoptive son ?

It's been a while since Kaname took his leave , entrusting him with the task of looking after Zero . Last time he checked , looking after someone makes them your responsibility , which in turn makes you their guardian . Which indeed makes Zero his adoptive son . In any case ..

" I understand you two have a lot of catching up to do . Still , It's a little bit odd you chose to do so in the kitchen of all else . But well , since we are at it , care to join me for a cup of tea ? " Kaien remarked as he stepped inside the said place and wasted no time filling the teapot with water and putting it on the stove . He didn't seem to mind the teens sitting on the ground .

Zero couldn't exactly tell if the man was being sarcastic or what and really , he didn't feel like wasting his brain cells on finding out . But even if he didn't want to , he ended up doing so any ways . At least it offered a distraction , no matter how temporary .

Kaien's voice seemed cheerful , as if he wanted to brighten the atmosphere . But his expression carried an air of solemn wisdom , compassion , and sympathy , which Zero found intriguing in some way . It seemed like there was more than meets the eye when it comes to this legendary hunter . Why else would Kaname , a pureblood with major trust issues , know a hunter on a personal level ?

What nature did their relationship have ? Did Kaien work with Kaname against the hunters ? Was he a traitor ? Were they going to make him one too ? Could he really trust Cross ?

Maria sniffing next to him snapped Zero out of his thoughts , drawing his attention back to her .

Speaking of which , Cross taking care of Maria all those years did earn him some points but that wasn't a good enough judge of his character .

" Zero , you might not want to hear this now but I think you should at least learn some more about yourself , especially your family . " Kaien spoke up as he bent down to sit in front of the teens , locking eyes with Zero .

He paused for a moment before adding

" The kiryuus were one of the most powerful and well known hunters to have ever existed in history . Sadly , not many of them survived the war . I didn't know your parents personally but of course , I would know more than you . They were the last surviving members of the family . After years of serving the hunters association , they decided to quit hunting in favor of leading a peaceful life , far away from the city .." He trailed off , satisfied to have captured the young hunter's curiosity but also feeling sorry for what he was about to say .

" Not much was known about them afterwards . It's possible they died .. Or not. I can't say for sure .. But I don't think they would have left their kids alone if they were alive . "

It was nearly impossible to miss the way Zero flinched hearing that , probably because those words reminded him of Ichiru .

" Maria told me about you two .. " Kaien explained before giving a sigh . Life hasn't been kind to this kid , he thought .

The kitchen went silent for a while , Zero dropping his gaze to the ground . He couldn't stop thinking about Ichiru . Maria could relate . She'd spent most of her time grieving and mourning his loss , sometimes hating every breath she took because it reminded her of him , his sacrifice , the fact he died in the fire to let her live . And now that she saw Zero , she couldn't help feeling ashamed .. The guilt she'd tried to curb all these years came back with vengeance . If only she could turn back the time ..

Kaien could almost taste how dark and gloomy the aura had become in a matter of seconds and he didn't particularly enjoy it so he began talking again .

" You have been turned into a vampire shortly after the shock of knowing what you are . I can't imagine this to be anything but a turning point in your life , especially now since you reunited with Maria .. "

After a moment of contemplation , he reached out and gave their hands a soft squeeze , trying to make it as reassuring as possible .

" Look , I don't want to give you false hope but .. Who knows , your brother could be alive too somewhere out there . I mean .. Maria thought you were dead while you thought she was but you two have been proven wrong today . No matter how slim , there's a chance he might have survived . "

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Kaname's expression betrayed nothing as he considered it .. Could he really trust Rido's words ? Of course not .

There was no guarantee he'd let Yuki go . The man had killed his own parents and once attempted to awaken the ancestor by using his nephew as a sacrifice . He'd failed back then , not because his conscience stopped him . No .. It's only thanks to Juuri and Haruka's intervention that Kaname survived that night . And now Rido showed up again , his intentions the same , if not darker .

Kaname resisted the urge to curse .

It's already well established that Rido could never kill Yuki . Which is good . but there's no telling what shameful deeds he's ready to commit against her just to blackmail Kaname into becoming his sacrifice .

Think .

Think .

Kaname told himself .

What course of action would go in my favour ?

Meanwhile , Yuki wished she could turn to ash and save her brother the pain of dealing with Rido . But everything had gone out of control without warning . And with that vice like grip on her throat and powers , she couldn't do much besides choking and whimpering like the burden she's always been .

Forgive me , Kaname-nii san. I should have been a better sister to you .. Tears gathered in her eyes as she blinked and braced herself for whatever was coming her way .

Time dragged by slowly .. Yuki almost blacked out , only to snap her eyes open , confusion twisting her features .

Did she hear it right ?

That familiar voice could only belong to..

There heads moved towards the voice , disbelief settling in , which prompted a repeat of the line they just heard and thought of as hallucination .

" He would never become your sacrifice , Rido ."

Mismatched eyes widened at that . The hands on Yuki's neck went slack .

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A/N

Greetings !

It's 26 August today and last update goes back to jan 2 . Wow..

What can I say ? Life happens , ( Aka shit happens )

Anyhow , I would like to announce the start of season two ( I had plans for it to be 8 chapters too but who knows ..I might need more chapters.. Or less .. )

Any ways , I hope you guys enjoy this . I'm proud of the fact I managed to update alone but I dunno what to feel about the content itself . I hope it's a good enough comeback .

My lovely readers , Thank you for taking some of your precious time to read this .

Xoxo

Zerovk

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	10. Chapter 10

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Rido couldn't believe his eyes and neither could the other two Kurans' . In front of them stood people they thought they'd never see again .

An older version of Yuki faced them along with another of Kaname .

 _No way_ .. Yuki thought to herself , confusion clouding her mind as she fought hard to take in the sight before her eyes , believing it to be an illusion of sorts . Kaname shared the same thought until it happened again , leaving no room for doubt .

 _It really was .._

" It pains me to say this , to even look at your face , one that's almost identical to my long lost brother's . " Voice moving along the edges of the room like silk does on a maiden's body , Juri Kuran spoke up as if every inch in her heart was bleeding , as if it has been doing only that and not beating like it was meant to for a very long time , the longest possible .

So many different emotions rippled in Rido's eyes at that but no longer did they sympathize with it .

 _.. his mother ._

Kaname couldn't find it in himself to speak . His gaze traveled in slow motion and evolving disbelief , starting with his mother to his father and finally , the child standing between them that he just now noticed.

" I'm going to say this once , Rido . Let my daughter go . We already have that which you want and there's nothing you can do about it . Juri and I have been away , not dead like many must have concluded , trying to find a way to stop you . We've awakened the ancestor before you could tie him to you and suck his powers for your own convenience . Just give up already ! " As he said those words , Haruka's hand went to the said Kuran's shoulder , holding him closer in a manner as gentle as it was firm , eyes reciting a story of betrayal , despair , and mordant loss . There had been a cruel price for such a bond but Rido needn't know about that .

Haruka had never wanted to see his own brother turn into a monster but it seemed that life chose to go the farthest possible from his wishes . And now that it has come to this , he could only fight for his family and protect them till his last breath , even if it was against his own flesh and blood. His once older brother gave him no choice .

As if to provoke him , a smirk played on Rido's lips at that . Well , such turn of events was not in the least expected . Juri and Haruka's appearance with the ancestor literally condemns his plan to certain failure , but if they thought he had nothing else up his sleeves , they were highly mistaken . After all , he'd come there to take the girl and he was so going to . Only difference was that after he found the coffin empty , devoid of who he'd always wanted for himself , he planned to take Yuki as a hostage and force her brother to tell him where the actual ancestor was sleeping . But seeing as how that option was no longer available , courtesy of his younger siblings , he needed something to make up for that tremendous loss . And what's better than a mirror of Juri spending an eternity with him ?

Foreseeing a calamity , it's then that Kaname blinked back into reality , a plan springing to life out of the blue , like some sort of a revelation . He needed to be extra careful and stealthy to execute it though .

While the three adults were busy exchanging heated gazes and recollections of past memories , he was going to make use of that distraction and free Yuki .

He'd been standing in front of Rido before and now became the center , drawing an imaginary line to separate the adults , which made it impossible to disappear without everyone noticing .. unless he was fast about it , which wasn't that hard to accomplish .

Not a minute later , Yuki's eyes enlarged , reflecting horror that she soon voiced with a scream that nearly cut off her throat .

" ONII-SAN ! "

" .. Kaname ! " His parent's voice followed right after . Juri's heels shrieked against the surface , resonating in submerged dread as she rushed forward and caught her son's falling figure , crimson rivulets gushing out of his mouth and abdomen where Rido had driven his blood whip in before vanishing from sight .

" No .. No .. please .. " Agony poured down down Juri's cheeks and burned her entire being as she brought Kaname close to her , sobbing louder than she ever had when the bleeding refused to stop even though it should have . Why ? Why wasn't it stopping ?

Juri took a double breath , going still when a horrid stench filled her nose a moment later , twisting her gut with fright .

 _Poison ?_

Haruka's legs gave out . Everything happened too fast for him to act , let alone comprehend . Rido has gone , with Yuki ? His one and only daughter . Pain shot up his chest at the realization , digging its claws deep and never relenting , mocking his earlier confidence.

What just happened ? They were supposed to win . They were supposed to have the upper the hand , the leverage ! They had what Rido sought after for God's sake and not only that , even if he kidnapped the newly awakened Kuran , he would no longer benefit from him the way he'd wanted to . The Kuran ancestor was already bound to Juri and himself . In other words , if Rido meant to return Yuki in exchange for the youngest Kuran , he'd never be able to break the bond and create another one for himself . That way , should the ancestor recover his full powers , Rido would never be able to subdue him .Then why the hell did he take Yuki ? Unless he didn't intend to return her at all ..

Haruka shook , finding it impossible to support his own weight that he couldn't help lowering his head and putting it in his hands as he squeezed his eyes shut and listened to his wife crying her eyes out over their son .

 _Kaname .._

Kaname had been foolish to think he could outsmart Rido . But he himself was a bigger fool to let it all happen . He should have kept Kaname behind him while he fought Rido to save Yuki from his clutches . None of this should have happened . No one should have to live such a sacrifice . Drowned in misery , with no means out , Haruka mourned and mourned until a whimper from Juri snapped him back to the real world , pulling at his heartstrings before she whispered fearfully " Haruka .. He's not responding . What do I do ? At this rate .. "

 _No .. He won't ._

" No ! He won't , Juri ! okay ? He won't . "

Haruka sniffed and rose up from despair , confidently assuring his wife and taking a seat next to hers , unable to accept another outcome . _He just couldn't .. He wouldn't_ ! _Rido was going to pay for causing them so much pain_ . Haruka vowed in the confines of his mind , hatred burning in his eyes , charring them .

It's then that a small hand reached for their shoulders and rested there , trying to ease their pain and make it hurt less .

" Kaname ? " Juri questioned softly , tears coming back to her eyes with vengeance as she pulled him down in her embrace , the sound of her wails splattering on the walls , left to dry there , forever to stay .

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 **A/N :**

Updated 3 March 2019 . The previous one goes back to August 26 2018 ^^;

So sorry for the late LATE update . I hope you forgive me and end up enjoying this .

Thank you all for supporting me in general and this fic in particular . I will hopefully be updating most of my other fics soon .

I have many new one-shot ideas too !

Onegai , Feel free to send me messages and ask about anything or simply fangirl about whatever .

 **Contact me :**

Tumblr and Instagram : Noelshipschunjoe

Twitter : genova_sns

Deviantart : Artbynoni

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Xoxo

Zerovk

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